The Dangers

Land - adverse winds and currents

Land is the main enemy of an ocean rowing boat. The initial stage of getting the boat out of Cadiz and away from land as quickly as possible was essential. This proved to be an extremely tough shift and involved many hours rowing without a break. Adverse winds can also push the boat back ie. one day you might row 30 miles and then the wind changes, blowing you back several miles - in spite of having a sea anchor deployed. Landing in Trinidad will be a tricky encounter. As the approach is made the seas will steepen and the currents will quicken, making landfall a tricky manoeuvre.

Stormy weather

The route and time of year has been carefully chosen to avoid the worst of the weather patterns. However it is likely that during the time at sea the boat and the rower will have to endure some fairly grim weather. The boat is strong and is designed to withstand all but the most terrible storms.

Freak Waves

Very rare, but as the crew of ‘Pink Lady’ found out they do happen! There is basically no defence against a 40ft - 100ft vertical wall of water. The cabin of Atlantic Wholff is well padded and during gale/storm conditions Leven will ensure that a sea anchor and/or drogue is/are deployed - this may help drag the boat through the crest of such a wave but this is very much in the realms of conjecture.

Other Ships

The other real danger of the seas is other shipping. The 'Columbus Run' route crosses major shipping lanes off Portugal. Large Oil Tankers and Freighters simply do not see a small boat and if they did run it down, chances are they wouldn’t even notice. Atlantic Wholff is installed with a pro active ‘See me’ radar transponder which ‘pings’ other ships within a 14 mile radius to let them know where the boat is. If the transponder detects radar it sets off an alarm in the boat so the rower should have time to take avoiding action. With both boats being aware of each other a collision should be very unlikely.

Whales

Whales can be a hazard and have a reputation for sinking small craft. Why this is nobody seems to know - some say it is a territorial thing, or mothers protecting their offspring, or even just that they like to scratch themselves! To the boat however it doesn’t really matter the result is the same - major damage! Again there is no defence against this, apart from hoping that you meet nice, non-maternal, non-itchy whales !

Sharks

Sharks are not really a huge problem as long as you are in the boat. Ocean going, although some are extremely large, sharks rarely attack humans and are in fact quite timid creatures. Leven will undoubtedly encounter these animals during the trip and the sharks will doubtless find the boat a curiosity - but that’s where it should end. Sharks become much more of a hazard if one is in a liferaft as their teeth could quite easily go through the rubber shell, causing it to deflate. The contents, i.e. you, are then exposed. Leven shall be carrying shark repellent in his emergency bag.

Fatigue

Solitude

Stress